1. Field
The present application relates generally to wireless communications, and more specifically to methods and systems for the transaction of information related to access point base stations to guest terminals.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication (e.g., voice, data, multimedia services, etc.) to multiple users. As the demand for high-rate and multimedia data services rapidly grows, there lies a challenge to implement efficient and robust communication systems with enhanced performance.
In recent years, users have started to replace fixed line communications with mobile communications and have increasingly demanded greater voice quality, reliable service, and lower prices.
In addition to mobile phone networks currently in place, a new class of small base stations has emerged that may be installed in a user's home and provide indoor wireless coverage to mobile units using existing broadband Internet connections. Such personal miniature base stations are generally known as access point base stations or, alternatively, Home Node B (HNB) or, alternatively, femto cells. Typically, such miniature base stations (femto cells) are connected to the Internet and the mobile operator's network via a router or modem.
However, one of the critical problems with femto cells is “discovery”, namely how a mobile device gains awareness of, and authorization access to a femto cell. Frequent scanning across frequencies may be used, but that technique may drain the battery in the device. Depending on the femto system solution used, the mobile unit may not know if it is allowed to use a particular femto cell or not, at least not until the mobile unit attempts to register with the femto cell. This results in further battery drainage.
It is these and other limitations of such prior attempts that motivate the present invention disclosed herein.